Audio video system with embedded wireless host and wireless speakers
An audio video system is described that includes an AV receiver with a wireless audio module (WAM) host and without audio amplifier functionality. The system further includes a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device to enable unidirectional or bidirectional communications with the WAM host. Each wireless speaker includes an amplifier that may be matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
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Embodiments of the invention pertain to an audio video system with an embedded wireless host communicating with wireless speakers.
BACKGROUNDIn the consumer electronics and computer industries, transmission of audio signals from a host player to remote device speakers has generally been accomplished over an analog wired interface comprising speaker wires. With the advent of digital audio content, the desire to maintain the pristine digital audio signal as far as possible along the audio signal chain has motivated designers to pursue digital interfaces to replace unsightly, signal-loss-prone analog speaker wires.
The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is an all-digital audio/video interface capable of transmitting uncompressed streams. HDMI is compatible with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) Digital Rights Management technology. HDMI provides an interface between any compatible digital audio/video source, such as a set-top box, a DVD player, a PC, a video game console, or an audio video (AV) receiver and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV).
These prior art conventional systems contain components that can maintain pristine digital audio and video from source to display through HDMI interconnects. By contrast, the interconnects from the source to most of the speakers is still analog via conventional speaker wires. For prior art systems containing 6 individual speakers, and other, more advanced systems which support up to 8 speakers or more, the speaker wire interconnections not only suffer from analog signal loss, but the speaker wire interconnections can be an eyesore or a wire-hiding challenge. Also, a surround-sound system with a large number of speakers and associated wiring causes further complications for installation and ease of modification.
SUMMARYAn audio video system is described that includes an AV receiver with a wireless audio module (WAM) host and without audio amplifier functionality. The system further includes a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device to enable unidirectional or bidirectional communications with the WAM host. Each wireless speaker includes an amplifier that may be matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
For one embodiment, the AV receiver without audio amplifier has a functionality of a HDMI AV receiver. For another embodiment, functionality of the AV receiver is located in a HDMI TV. For another embodiment, functionality of the AV receiver is located in a HDMI DVD player. For another embodiment, functionality of the AV receiver is located in an integrated HDMI TV/DVD player.
Other features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.
Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
An AV system is described that includes an AV receiver with a WAM host and without an audio amplifier functionality. The system further includes a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device to enable unidirectional or bidirectional communications with the WAM host.
One intended advantage of the AV system is having each wireless speaker include an amplifier that is matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of each driver. Another intended advantage is the design flexibility based on having the WAM host located in various types of sources such as an AV receiver, a DVD player, a display, or an integrated DVD player/display. The absence of a centralized audio amplifier functionality in a source creates this design flexibility.
The wireless audio topology of
Note that the topology between WAM host and WAM devices is point-to-multipoint, implemented via an Ultra Wide Band Host/Device architecture. Also noteworthy is the ability for bidirectional communications over the wireless link, as depicted with the wireless beacon-like icons. The majority of the data transferred in such an audio application is from host to devices, but very important, infrequent data is sent from the devices to the host, communicating acknowledgements of data transfers and application-specific information, such as packet reception reliability statistics. Additionally, the absence of speaker wires enables a simpler-to-setup, less cluttered environment, and allows the pristine digital audio content to reach the speakers with no signal loss.
For another embodiment, the DVD player 402 is a HDMI DVD player that includes the WAM host 404 to provide wireless audio capabilities. In this case, the digital audio video source is the DVD disc, whose data is extracted via the DVD drive, and then decoded in the DVD decoder, which creates separate video and audio outputs. The digital video output goes only to the HDMI transmitter (not shown), whereas the digital audio is sent to both the WAM Host and the HDMI transmitter. Video and audio in such arrangements are effectively synchronized at this point, and the HDMI link introduces effectively no latency for its video and audio going to a display, for example, so the wireless audio must meet acceptable latencies, else the system may exhibit annoying lip-sync issues.
For one embodiment, each wireless speaker 430, 440, 450, 460, 470, and 480 further includes an amplifier 432, 442, 452, 462, 472, and 482, respectively, matched to a driver of the respective speaker to optimize the frequency response of the driver. For another embodiment, at least one wireless speaker includes a plurality of drivers and a plurality of amplifiers with each amplifier being matched to a respective driver to optimize the frequency response of each driver. For example, a wireless speaker may include various types of drivers such as a woofer that produces low frequency sounds, a tweeter that produce the high frequency sounds, and a midrange driver that produces a range of frequencies in the middle of the sound spectrum. Each driver located in a wireless speaker can have a distributed amplifier optimized for the frequency range of the driver.
The wireless audio topology reduces clutter and also enables consolidation of devices and multiple locations of the WAM host, as shown in
The wireless audio topology reduces clutter and also enables consolidation of devices and multiple locations of the WAM host, as shown in
The wireless audio topology reduces clutter and also enables interesting consolidation of devices and multiple locations of the WAM host, as shown in
High quality pristine digital audio can be provided for various embodiments with no speaker wiring required. For example, a consumer can quickly and easily install the wireless speakers with no stripping of speaker wires. Also, a consumer has a general freedom to decorate or redecorate a building or residence without being limited with speaker wire concerns. A consumer can also purchase an AV system including the wireless speakers in a piecemeal manner.
The transceiver may be a HDMI transceiver located in a source such as a HDMI TV, a HDMI DVD player, or an integrated HDMI TV/DVD player. The source includes no audio amplifier. At least one wireless speaker may include a plurality of drivers and a plurality of amplifiers with each driver being matched to an amplifier to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
Claims
1. A system, comprising:
- an audio video (AV) receiver with a wireless audio module (WAM) host and without a centralized audio amplifier functionality, the WAM host being implemented using a point-to-multipoint network topology using an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) host/device architecture,
- wherein the WAM host including a first microprocessor, an audio-in first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer coupled with a digital audio input, the audio-in FIFO buffer coupled with a first input and a first output of the first microprocessor, a first packet memory operative for packet storage and coupled with a second output of the first microprocessor, and an UWB host coupled with an output of the first packet memory and bi-directionally coupled with the first microprocessor, the UWB host operative to wirelessly transmit digital audio received on the digital audio input; and
- a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device configured for bi-directional communication with the WAM host over a wireless link between each WAM device and the WAM host, wherein each wireless speaker includes an amplifier to amplify communications received from the WAM host and to which at least a part of the centralized audio amplifier functionality is distributed,
- wherein each WAM device including an UWB device operative to wirelessly receive the digital audio transmitted by the UWB host, a second packet memory operative for packet storage and coupled with an output of the UWB device, a second microprocessor bi-directionally coupled with the UWB device and with an output of the second packet memory, and an audio-out FIFO buffer coupled with an input and an output of the second microprocessor, and the audio-out FIFO buffer coupled with a digital audio output operative to output the digital audio.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein functionality of the AV receiver is located in one of a TV, a DVD player, and an integrated TV/DVD player.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the AV receiver has a functionality of a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) AV receiver.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the functionality of the HDMI AV receiver is located in one of a HDMI TV, a HDMI DVD player, and an integrated HDMI TV/DVD player.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless speakers comprise a front left speaker, a front right speaker, a center speaker, a surround left speaker, a surround right speaker, and a first low frequency effect (LFE) speaker.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of wireless speakers further comprise a side left surround speaker, a side right surround speaker, and a second LFE speaker.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bi-directional communication comprises a plurality of digital channels.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein each wireless speaker comprises an amplifier matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of each driver.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one wireless speaker comprises a plurality of drivers and a plurality of amplifiers with each amplifier being matched to a driver to optimize the frequency response of each driver.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein a wireless communication sent from each WAM device to the WAM host over the wireless link includes data selected from the group consisting of acknowledgement of data transfer, application specific information, and packet reception reliability statistics.
11. A method for optimizing wireless audio communications, comprising:
- detecting at least one wireless audio module (WAM) device with each WAM device located in a wireless speaker, wherein each wireless speaker includes an amplifier matched to an associated driver to optimize frequency response of each driver,
- wherein each WAM device including a first microprocessor, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) device bi-directionally coupled with the first microprocessor, and an audio-out first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer electrically coupled with a first input and a first output of the first microprocessor and electrically coupled with a digital audio output; and
- sending at least one wireless audio signal from a WAM host located in a transceiver that is included in audio video (AV) receiver without a centralized audio amplifier functionality to the each WAM device, the WAM host being implemented using a point-to-multipoint network topology using the UWB host/device architecture, the each WAM device configured for bi-directional communication with the WAM host using a wireless link between the each WAM device and the WAM host,
- wherein the WAM host including a second microprocessor, an UWB host bi-directionally coupled with the second microprocessor, and an audio-in FIFO buffer electrically coupled with an input and an output of the second microprocessor and electrically coupled with a digital audio input, and wherein at least a part of the centralized audio amplifier functionality is distributed to the wireless speaker.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one wireless speaker comprises a plurality of drivers and a plurality of amplifiers with each driver being matched to an amplifier to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein a wireless communication sent from each WAM device to the WAM host over the wireless link includes data selected from the group consisting of acknowledgement of data transfer, application specific information, and packet reception reliability statistics.
14. A system, comprising:
- a display including an audio video (AV) receiver without a centralized audio amplifier functionality and having a wireless audio module (WAM) host and without a central audio amplifier, the WAM host being implemented using a point-to-multipoint network topology using an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) host/device architecture,
- wherein the WAM host including a first microprocessor, an audio-in first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer coupled with a digital audio input, the audio-in FIFO buffer coupled with a first input and a first output of the first microprocessor, a first packet memory operative for packet storage and coupled with a second output of the first microprocessor, and an UWB host coupled with an output of the first packet memory and bi-directionally coupled with the first microprocessor, the UWB host operative to wirelessly transmit digital audio received on the digital audio input; and
- a plurality of wireless speakers each having a WAM device configured for bi\-directional communications with the WAM host over a wireless link between each WAM device and the WAM host, each wireless speaker including an amplifier to amplify audio communications received from the WAM host and to which at least a part of the audio amplifier functionality is distributed,
- wherein each WAM device including an UWB device operative to wirelessly receive the digital audio transmitted by the UWB host, a second packet memory operative for packet storage and coupled with an output of the UWB device, a second microprocessor bi-directionally coupled with the UWB device and with an output of the second packet memory, and an audio-out FIFO buffer coupled with an input and an output of the second microprocessor, and the audio-out FIFO buffer coupled with a digital audio output operative to output the digital audio.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of wireless speakers comprise a front left speaker, a front right speaker, a center speaker, a surround left speaker, a surround right speaker, and a first low frequency effect (LFE) speaker.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein each wireless speaker comprises an amplifier matched to a driver of the speaker to optimize the frequency response of the driver.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the display is a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) display.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein a wireless communication sent from each WAM device to the WAM host over the wireless link includes data selected from the group consisting of acknowledgement of data transfer, application specific information, and packet reception reliability statistics.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 21, 2007
Date of Patent: Sep 16, 2014
Patent Publication Number: 20090079883
Assignee: AliphCom (San Francisco, CA)
Inventors: Jano Banks (Cupertino, CA), David Buuck (Santa Clara, CA), Jon Norenberg (Modesto, CA), Brad Bozarth (Mountain View, CA), Eric Wiles (Sunnyvale, CA), Thomas Mader (Los Gatos, CA)
Primary Examiner: Gigi L Dubasky
Application Number: 11/859,460
International Classification: H04N 7/16 (20110101); H04H 20/47 (20080101); H04R 5/00 (20060101); H04R 1/02 (20060101); H04H 20/61 (20080101); H04S 3/00 (20060101); H04H 20/63 (20080101); H04N 5/775 (20060101); G09G 5/00 (20060101); H04N 5/765 (20060101); H04N 5/60 (20060101); H04N 5/85 (20060101);